China bans foreign ships from rivers as local operators struggle

© Khunaspix Dreamstime.

Those who fear protectionism is returning to global trade, look away now. China will ban foreign flagged vessels from operating on its inland waterways – principally the mighty Yangtze (where so much original cargo is now moving to) as a way of shoring up the revenues of domestic, many of them state-owned, carriers. The law comes into effect at the beginning of next year.